Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran
A/72/322 para 116
Full recommendation:
The Special Rapporteur calls on the Government to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of
All Forms of Discrimination against Women, to repeal all laws that discriminate against women
and girls and to ensure that any bill still before Parliament that would further undermine the
empowerment of women is dropped. She urges the Government to ensure the freedom of
movement of women and girls and guarantee their right to physical education, physical activity
and sport. Laws imposing dress codes on women should be reviewed, and the Government
should respect the right of anyone to privacy and ensure that security forces refrain from acting
as moral guardians of the citizens.
Assessment using Impact Iran human rights indicators1
A. The Special Rapporteur calls on the Government to ratify the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
The Islamic Republic of Iran has not ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of
Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The Government of Mohammad Khatami presented
a bill in order to ratify the Convention, which was adopted by the Parliament in August 2004.
However, the Guardian Council, which is in charge of giving the final approval in the adoption
process of laws in Iran, deemed the bill to be inconsistent with Islamic principles and norms, and
thus rejected it.2
B. The Special Rapporteur calls on the Government to repeal all laws that discriminate
against women and girls
The Iranian legal framework contains numerous provisions which directly discriminate against
women and prevent the equal and full enjoyment by women of their civil, political, social and
economic rights.
Article 3 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran stipulates that it is the State’s duty to
work towards “the abolition of all forms of undesirable discrimination and the provision of
equitable opportunities for all, in both the material and the intellectual spheres.”3 Article 20
1
CCPR.2.3.S.1; CCPR.3.1.S.1; CCPR.3.1.S.4; CCPR.16.1.S.1; CCPR.23.2.S.1; CCPR.23.4.S.1; CCPR.23.3.S.1; CRC.8.1.S.1;
ESCR.2.2.S.1; ESCR.6.1.S.1; ESCR.6.1.S.3; CCPR.3.1.P.3; CCPR.16.1.P.1; CCPR.23.2.P.1; CCPR.2.3.P.1; CCPR.23.3.P.1;
ESCR.2.2.P.3; ESCR.6.1.P.1; CCPR.2.3.O.4; CCPR.3.1.O.4; CCPR.23.3.O.1; CRC.8.1.O.2; CCPR.2.1.O.1; ESCR.6.1.O.2
2
https://www.radiozamaneh.com/278972
3
Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, https://irandataportal.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/constitution-english-1368.pdf
1